LINKING CITY AND SUBURBS. Busses or Trams-Which?

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 252, 29 April 1905, Page 6

LINKING CITY AND SUBURBS. Busses or Trams- Which?

WE think Kaion showed sound common-sense last week m declining to take a leap in the daik Aftei all is said and done, that is just what the proposal to mstal the Lombard-G-uerin system of electnc 'busses amounted to Mr. J P Campbell put the case very clearly and forcibly to the ratepayers when he pointed out that this system was still in. its exjDenmental stage Therefore, for a small and pool- borough like Kaion to commit lfcseif to a loan of £29,000, chiefly to experiment with a complete outfit of electric 'busses, would have been rash to say the least of it * * * For the same reason we are not disposed to endorse Mr Campbells advocacy of the motor 'busses They

certainly involve a fai less outlay than the other mode of conveyance, and if they were found not to answer couiu ' " more cheaply and easily stvpciseded Still, even they aie open to the objection of being only in the experimental stage. So fai as the experiment has gone at Auckland and Christchurch — where motor 'busses are running — the results are said to be quite unequal to the anticipations. They break down rather easily, the tires need frequent renewing, and it takes a very large stock of cais to cope with crowds of passengers wishing to travel within a limited time. • • ♦ Therefore Karon had better pause ° little longer, and Miramar winch is now being asked to sanction a loan for motor 'busses as well as for the remarkable luxury of taking over an existing ferry servics, will do well also to stand off the grass If the ferry service is a profitable venture, private enterprise will carry it on tall the infant borough has cut its wisdom teeth, and it has had time to look around In the meantime, what about electric trams ? Is there any reason why both Karon and Miramar should not exhaust the possibilities of getting a tiam system dove-tailing with the present city installation before embarking on any doubtful experiment for a. different, and perhaps more costly, means of locomotion ? We think not * * * In fact, the inducements are all in the direction of electric tram communication Let both the suburban boroughs we have named approach the City Council with a practical scheme to join hands m the work of 'tram extension Can they not evolve some businesslike scheme whereby Karon and Miramar might lay down the tram track from the city boimdary to their respective areas, the City Corporation on its part undertaking to supply the rollingstock and the motive power, and the contracting bodies to share the profits over these suburban lines' 2 * * * Such a plan marches with com-mon-sense. Sooner or later the day must come when Greater Wellington will take in both Karon and Mirar mar. Why not pave the way for it by adopting a uniform tram system for the whole area? Why have electric trams m the city, electric 'busses in Karon, and motor 'busses in Miramar 2 At best, these two latter modes of public conveyance are still on their trial. The electric tram system, on the contrary, is a proved success all over the world On the whole, both Karon and Miramar will be well advised to make but one bite at the cheny, and make sure of an electric tram service. Far better be sure than sorry